News : IBSSS Mary Ingalls Society asks for assistance

The Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School Mary Ingalls Society is asking your assistance in continuing our work in preserving and telling the story of the school's historical significance. This work was begun three years ago, and although much has been accomplished there is still much to do.

Completed and/or works in progress include: 1. Signs designating IBSSS as a Mary Ingalls School Site
2. Reopening the Founders Room on the first floor of Old Main
3. Two production years of the "Mary Ingalls - Her Journey" summer Pageant
4. Purchase of a museum display case to house the original ledger documenting Mary Ingalls entry into the school and other artifacts pertaining to Mary's time here.
5. Reopening the historical display museum on 3rd floor of Old Main and creating a vintage photo display in the main hall of Old Main
6. Working with Destination Vinton and Vinton Unlimited to bring tours to Vinton and the school - the NE IA Dist. Lions Convention was here in March 2015. In the last 2 years we have hosted 4 different home school groups and their families, numerous bank and community tour groups, several RAGBRAI riders, an international group of educations for the visually impaired, a group from the NE Iowa Newspaper Association and community clubs as well as individual and families that have stopped to see us. These visitors have totaled over 1,700 people. A series of 4 "Our Iowa" tours have already been scheduled for the summer and fall of 2016.
7. Restoring (when needed), sorting, organizing, filing and storing photos and artifacts in archival storage boxes
8. Conversion of reel to reel films to a digital format for use in display and/or programs - narrative is also being created and added to those films with no sound
9. Creation of an IBSSS Mary Ingalls Society brochure
10. Our latest venture is the Lot 31 Project. This lot, located in Evergreen Cemetery, was purchased for the Braille School in the 1800s as a place to bury students who died during the school year and either had no family or whose family could not afford to have them transported home for burial. Research has revealed the names of six students buried there, the last one in the late 1800s. There is no marker on the lot and for years the cemetery board believe it to be empty. The goal is to purchase a marker to show this as the resting place of students from the Braille School.
This work could not happen without financial and moral support from the community. Although we have developed products for sale, received grants and bring in money from the Pageant, we really cannot continue to move forward without you. We also welcome anyone who wishes to join in our efforts personally by attending Society meetings, assisting with tour groups, or working with archive preservation.

You may contact the number listed on the donation sheet if you have questions about participating directly or on any of our plans or activities. Thank you for your consideration of this request.
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